


Warm

by Depths



Series: Linked Universe Oneshots [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Dysfunctional Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Linktober 2020, Platonic Cuddling, Selectively Mute Link (Legend of Zelda), Team as Family, Touch-Starved, Wild (Linked Universe) Angst, Wild (Linked Universe)-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:08:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26801914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Depths/pseuds/Depths
Summary: Wild would rather be cold than have to share body heat with his companions.(LU discord Linktober day three: warm)
Relationships: Four & Hyrule & Legend & Sky & Time & Twilight & Warriors & Wild & Wind (Linked Universe), Four & Wild (Linked Universe), Time & Wild (Linked Universe)
Series: Linked Universe Oneshots [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1982555
Comments: 23
Kudos: 607





	Warm

The nights were surprisingly cold in Wind’s Hyrule. 

“It’s because we’re so close to the ocean,” Four said matter-of-factly. “The days are summer warm, yeah, but there’s almost always a cold wind coming off the water at night.” He cast a look at Wild. “Do you really not have another set?”

Wild shook his head, feeling as if he was going to vibrate out of his skin. His teeth were chattering louder than he had ever managed to speak. The other Link’s expression darkened as he lifted his trembling hands to point at Hyrule. 

_ His forehead feels very warm, _ he forced out.  _ S-n-o-w-q-u-i-l-l better used for him. _

As if hearing them talk, Hyrule shifted restlessly in his sleep, curling up painfully tight under his three blankets. He no doubt wouldn’t be happy to find both Twilight’s, Legend’s, and Wild’s blankets on top of him, but he needed it more and they didn’t care. Legend’s fire rod alone seemed to cast a small radius of warmth, after all, and Twilight... 

Wild cast a slightly envious glance at Twilight. The wolf remained unhelpfully unaware of his struggle, contently curled up beside Time. What he wouldn’t give to be able to snag the fur off the wolves in his world right about then. 

Four frowned at him, invitingly lifting the corner of his blanket. “You can still share with me,” he said carefully. “The offer still stands.” 

As it had the last three times he had made it. Did Wild look that pathetic? The mountains of his Hyrule were a far more bitter cold than the breeze over the ocean, and yet his blue tunic and trousers did little to warm him. Wild shook his head. The idea of body heat was appealing. He wouldn’t lie about that. But the thought that it came from a  _ body _ — a breathing, living Hylian body— 

He felt little of touch when it came to his scars. Heat boiled painfully every time no matter it’s intensity, gentle candlelight alone becoming the searing beam of a guardians laser. Cold barely registered beyond a heavy numbness. The weight of his clothing on his scarred skin, the press of the strap holding his sword to his back, or even bandages... they all scarcely registered anymore. Not even the shrine of resurrection could give him back the full functionality of the nerves damaged under that burned tissue. 

The only touch he was meant to feel was the hilt of a sword in his hand. The arch of a bow string taut between calloused fingers. The spongy press of mushrooms and the wet scales of fish in the rivers and the mud of the dirt in his world. 

There were so few people left in his homeland. 

Those that were alive would hesitate to hug the forgotten hero, brandishing half the earth on his clothes and a gallon of monster blood everywhere else. 

They were no strangers to dirt and blood. None of them were. Wild had helped each of them wash soil from their wounds before. Had watched them embrace and wrestle and  _ touch, _ no matter how dirtied the tunic or how bloodied their hands. 

Still.  _ Still. _

What if he— reached back, or stood still, and let them—? What if he  _ liked _ it? What if a taste meant finding out he was  _ starving? _ He’d look far more pathetic than he did by sitting in the cold. The poor little failed hero, unable to keep it together over a shared blanket.

(Some hero of courage he was.)

So he smiled at Four and hoped the unsteadiness of it was only of the cold. 

Four didn’t look convinced. “If you’re sure,” he said, and Wild pretended it wasn’t now the fourth time he had heard it. “Will you even be able to sleep?” 

No. Yes. Wild tilted his head back and forth, uselessly wringing his hands instead of answering. He was decently sure he would get some sleep. He had managed to sleep in plenty worse places back home just fine. Just him on the road, without even a campfire. Compared to some of his experiences, what he had right then was comfortable. He would probably sleep. 

It just wouldn’t be  _ good _ sleep. But Four didn’t have to know that. 

By the look on the other's face, Wild didn’t think he needed to say anything. 

_ I’ll be fine, _ Wild signed again. Just for good measure. The look didn’t fade.  _ Very good. Just watch me. _

Four snorted quietly when he threw himself down to the grass, making a show of settling in. It was fairly comfortable— the grass and sand made for a soft, strange bed. Wind had complained that they weren’t able to make it to Outset island before nightfall, but besides the cold, the shore was plenty nice.  _ O-K, _ he signed without lifting his head. Four didn’t reply but he could hear him shuffling around, probably rolling his eyes at him.  _ Sleep now. _

“...Okay, that’s enough out of you.” 

Wild jerked upright with a yelp as arms dug under him, yanking him off the ground. His flailing sent sand in every direction, but the arms only tightened around him. They tugged him close until his back hit something warm and solid, forcing a sharp grunt out of him. Warmth flooded from every point of contact. Boiling warmth. It burned even through his clothes, leaving goosebumps underneath. 

He nearly headbutted Time in the chin trying to look back at him. 

A single blue eye stared back down at him, creased in open amusement. “Don’t look so shocked,” he teased. “Just putting a wild child to bed.” He turned with Wild hanging in his arms and made back towards where Twilight still laid, one eye open and watching them. 

_ To bed. Putting to bed. _ The words registered as did Time’s touch, hot like a brand winding around his chest. “Hh—!” Wild wheezed out his protest, wiggling fiercely. Time didn’t budge at all. His steps didn’t even slow down. Wild tugged at the arms around him only to yank them away a millisecond later, his palms feeling weirdly tingly in a way he couldn’t decide if he liked. _ “Hh—!” _

Time sat down and tugged him into his lap like he weighed nothing. “Hush, Cub,” he ordered, tugging gently at his unscarred ear. Wild twitched when he felt it, unsure what else to do but go rigid as Time slowly moved his hand from his ear to his hair, brushing the knotted strands back. He couldn’t move even when Time retracted his other arm from his middle to join the first, both hands carefully undoing Wild’s ponytail to let his hair fall over his back. 

He didn’t know what to do. The touch was foreign. Unfamiliar, for all that he trusted its owner. 

Wild just stayed stock still, eyes wide and straight ahead. He nearly jumped out of his skin when a cold wet nose pushed into his frozen palm, nosing delicately at his fingers. Twilight huffed warmly against his frozen skin. His blue eyes remained alert and watchful when Wild finally managed to meet them. 

Hands in his hair. Legs under his. Fur against his hip and a muzzle pressed against his palm. 

Wild slowly relaxed. 

“There you go,” Time murmured, “easy does it Cub. I’m almost done.” The longer he touched him, the easier it became. The more painful heat became gentle for all that it remained intense. Careful, scar ridden hands ran through his hair, bare fingers accidentally skimming the skin of his throat every so often, and Wild abruptly felt like crying. 

“O—hh,” he choked out, rough and twisted. His vision of Twilight became blurred and wet but he felt the tiny lap of a warm tongue against his fingers all the same. “Oh...” 

A warm weight dragged over his legs and wild blinked away tears to see Sky. The oldest hero smiled so easily at him it made Wild’s head spin, settling down against Time’s other side and throwing his blanket over all four of them without a word. Twilight practically climbed on top of them to settle his heavy head over their combined legs. He only whuffed quietly, pleased eyes slipping closed, as Wild shakily buried his hand into dense dark fur. 

Warmth. Everywhere. So much of it that a specific source was becoming impossible. A wolf on his lap. Time against his back. Sky at his side. His fellow heroes sprawled all around the dying fire. 

“Still cold?” Time asked quietly. Sky was already dead asleep. Twilight’s ear didn’t even twitch. 

Wind rolled over in his sleep, one of his arms throwing itself over Wild’s leg. It didn’t hurt. 

Wild slowly let himself lean back against Time, against Sky, against all of them. 

“W-warm,” he croaked out, painful and rough. “Good.” 

The nights in Wind’s Hyrule were very warm. 

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in an hour at 5am last night lol. I'v enever participated in Linktober before but having fun so far!
> 
> lmk if i missed any mistakes
> 
> As always, find me at [Leviathiane](https://leviathiane.tumblr.com) on tumblr!


End file.
